Whimsical Fox
by Age of the Geek Baby
Summary: What would happen if there was another survivor, one that had boarded the ship on a whim? Just how much would be changed by one whimsical decision? Naruto is another survivor in Pitch Black. Rating to be safe. Not sure of the genres.


Title: Whimsical Fox  
Author: Age of the Geek Baby  
Word Count: 7,320  
Warnings: hints of slash, some language and very mild sexual themes. Sorry no real lemons. Oh, and some bashing. I don't like Fry, at all.  
Summary: What would happen if there was another survivor, one that had boarded the ship on a whim? Just how much would be changed by one whimsical decision?  
Disclaimer: I do not own either Naruto or Pitch Black. I believe that it is obvious that I don't have the creative genius to have had any part in the creation of either. I just have plot bunnies.  
A/N: This is my first fic. I'm happy with it, and look forward to writing another version of it once I improve as a writer. I find this crossover interesting and hope that this fic may inspire others to write more of it. Thank you for taking the time to read, and it would be ever so lovely of you to leave a review.

* * *

"_They say most of your brain shuts down in Cryo-sleep.__  
All but the primitive side.__  
The animal side.  
No wonder I'm still awake._

_Transporting me with civilians. Sounded like forty, forty plus._

_Heard an Arab voice. Some hoodoo holy man. Probably on his way to New Mecca. But what route?  
What route?_

_Smelled a woman. Sweat, boots, tool belt, leather. Prospector type. Free settlers. And they only take the back roads._

_And here's my real problem.  
Mr. Johns. Blue-eyed devil. Planning on taking me back to slam. Only this time he picked a ghost lane._

_Long time between stops._

_Long time for something to go wrong."_

Richard B. Riddick - **Pitch Black

* * *

**

Boarding the ship had been a whim. One he was almost regretting as yet another day slowly dropped by. He could only meditate and sleep for so long. When he wasn't sleeping or meditating, he wasted time by studying the other passengers with every sense he could. Most of them he found rather boring, only a few stood out.

A holy man and his companions, a girl pretending to be a boy, a bounty hunter, and _him_. The last stood out the most, for more than one reason. But, he studied the others first, memorizing their scents and signatures. He was extra careful in examining the bounty hunter. There was something in the man's scent that he couldn't quite place, but it set him on edge. What really bothered him was that it was vaguely familiar to something he couldn't place.

The journey was almost half way over when he could no longer ignore _his_ presence. It had been hard, considering he also seemed to be unaffected by Cryo-sleep. The creaking of restraints was a constant reminder that he was a prisoner, the bounty hunter's to be precise. The man was a predator, a killer. And his scent was intoxicating.

Flashing red lights and various alarms drew his attention away from the addictive scent. Something had gone wrong, extremely so. Listening to Fry and Owens, he closed his eyes and gave a silent groan. Of course he would choose the one ship that would crash. Hearing Owens stop Fry from purging the passengers, he gave an almost silent growl. He knew that he would have survived the crash, but the same couldn't be said for the other passengers.

Bracing himself for the inevitable impact, he hoped that his intoxicating predator survived the crash. The lust he had been able to smell had only enhanced his intoxicating scent. Maybe his whimsical choice hadn't been so poorly made. Just as he thought that, his Cryo-chamber was tossed about, torn loose as the ship finally crashed down into the surface of a planet, skidding. Then again, his whimsical decision was starting to look like a poor one, especially after a flying piece of scrap metal struck him in the head, having broken through the glass of his Cryo-chamber.

---

Slowly coming to, he took a moment to center himself and take in his surroundings. He was still stuck in his Cryo-chamber, debris hiding him from view and keeping him pinned in place. It was also probably why no one had found him yet. If anyone had even bothered looking for other survivors.

Keeping still, he listened to see if there was anyone near him. There were survivors, but none of them were close enough to hear him if he called for help. He was on his own in getting out. Considering his option, he absentmindedly listened to the other crash survivors. A growl rumbled low in his chest as he heard Fry being thanked for saving them. Owens was the one that had saved them.

Angry, he began to kick at the door of his Cryo-chamber, trying to vent his frustrations more than trying to escape. He made enough noise to attract someone's attention, since the panel of metal that had left him trapped was suddenly removed. Carefully climbing out of his Cryo-chamber, he looked around for his 'rescuer' but found no one. A quick sniff of the dry air and he was assaulted by _his_ intoxicating scent.

Grinning, he silently made his way to the other survivors. They were scavenging in what remained of the luggage. He was still grinning as he calmly found his knapsack and pulled out four large bottles of water. As soon as he had the four bottles cradled in his arms, he turned his attention back to the other survivors, all of who were staring at him.

"We'll still need to find water, but you and your boys can have these until we do. I suggest that you make it last." Handing the bottles over, he smiled encouragingly at Ali.

"Who the hell are you?'

Stopping short of glaring, he turned his attention to Fry, resisting the urge to pout as he noticed that she was taller than him.

"Naruto. The crash knocked me out. I woke up not too long ago and followed the tracks. Found you and heard him talking about water."

Anything else Fry might have said was cut off by Paris pointing out the existence of a third sun. Their need to find water had just increased.

Finally having names and faces to match with scents, Naruto was slightly disappointed that he only had a name for his addictive rescuer. Although, his disappointment didn't last long when it was decided that they would look for water in the direction of the blue sun. Like Johns had said, Riddick was in that direction.

Moving on silent feet, Naruto felt his unease grow. The further away they had moved from the crash site, the more convinced he was that the planet was dead. His unease came from the whispering movements and faint clicks he could hear underground. There had to be a reason why the planet seemed completely devoid of life, even if it really wasn't.

Entering the graveyard, Naruto hugged himself. With his enhanced sight, he could see the tiny marks on the bones that were left behind by teeth. Wandering into the shadowed alcove created by a massive ribcage, Naruto hugged himself even tighter, taking small comfort in Riddick's intoxicating scent.

In the centuries upon centuries he had lived, few things had truly scared him, and even fewer things had made him feel protected. Riddick's intoxicating scent actually made him feel safe, comforted him.

Opening his eyes, Naruto wasn't surprised in the least when he saw Riddick looming over him. Staring up at Riddick, Naruto didn't realize he was shaking until a large hand cupped his cheek, a thumb gently tracing his whisker scars. Taking a shuddering breath, Naruto hugged himself even tighter.

"Are you really that scared of me? Too frightened to even scream for help?" Riddick had leaned forward, his breath brushing his ear as he purred the questions.

Body tingling, Naruto stayed silent, slowly brining his hands up to cradle Riddick's face. He saw Riddick's questions as a challenge, one he wasn't going to lose. A smirk slowly tugged at his lips as Riddick's scent was nearly overwhelmed with lust. Pulling Riddick's face closer, Naruto stopped short of kissing him, allowing their breath to mingle. He would let Riddick decide how far he was willing to go.

"So you aren't scared of me." Riddick's lips ghosted across his own as he spoke.

Naruto stayed silent, allowing Riddick to come to his own conclusions. He was a little too busy using Riddick as an anchor to answer anyway. The planet truly frightened him, enough to make his body shake constantly with the amount of adrenaline coursing through his veins. Riddick's presence had him able to control his urge to find a place to hide until the planet's whispering quieted down.

---

Studying the petite blonde male in front of him, Riddick found himself resisting his urge to screw the blonde senseless then and there. The smaller male wasn't afraid of him, but something had him terrified. His curiosity getting the better of him, Riddick pulled the blonde flush against him. He was still trembling, but it was slowly beginning to stop, although that didn't stop the blonde fox from clutching his shirt, head resting against his chest.

Taking a deep breath, Riddick barely stopped a groan. His fox smelled so good, he couldn't stop himself from grinding against the body that was pressed flush against him. He was considering taking his fox when Johns and Fry showed up, causing his blue-eyed vixen to stiffen. Johns would be paying for that, especially when he smelled the fear return in his mate's scent.

And that was what the blonde fox was. His mate. His instincts were demanding that he claim his mate, but not until his mate's fear was gone. Burying his face into his mate's shoulder, he bit down hard, just drawing blood. Sucking on the wound, he held his blonde fox close until he finished leaving his mark. Satisfied that he had marked his mate as his, he smirked down at dazed blue orbs.

"I'll be back to finish this little fox."

---

Shaking himself out of his daze, Naruto quickly rejoined the group. He was careful to keep Riddick's mark hidden from sight, not in the mood to deal with questions. When they reached the deserted settlement, Naruto was both relieved and worried. Relieved that they had found water, and a ship off the planet, but worried since he had been gripped with a feeling of dread.

---

Naruto should have known that Fry would pull a stunt like this. Asking Riddick to show her his eyes. She was playing with fire, thought that she wouldn't get burned either. Foolish. And then she had the nerve to scold Jack for asking a question of her own.

"You don't want Riddick's eyes. They wouldn't suit you, not in the slightest." Stepping out of the shadows, Naruto allowed his eyes to shift.

"Your eyes are cool too. How can I get them?" She sounded so eager, Naruto almost considered letting her continue down the path she was headed, but quickly dismissed the idea.

"You wouldn't want my eyes."

"Why not? They're cool."

"Do you really want to know how I got my eyes?"

"Hell yeah. Tell me."

"First, you have to grow up in a village where you are hated by every single person with only a few rare exceptions. Second, you need to spend fifteen years fighting for the precious bonds you struggled to make. After you finally make these bonds, you need to spend the next three years fighting to keep yourself and those precious to you from dying. You will fail, you will watch your friends die one by one, some of them even in your arms. Only after you've watched everything that you hold dear destroyed will you bet eyes like mine. But, I nearly forgot. You will fight in a war and kill hundreds. You will also need to survive nearly being killed by your best friend after they betray you to go to the enemy. So, can you do it?"

Jack stared at him with wide eyes, her face showing shock and horror. Allowing his eyes to return to their normal blue, Naruto spoke softly.

"You don't want to get Riddick's eyes. And you sure as hell don't want mine. Believe me when I tell you that you really don't want to get our eyes. Go and think about it Jack. I want you to decide if our eyes are really worth the price just because they're cool."

Nodding, Jack quickly disappeared. "Cute kid."

Snorting, Naruto shook his head. "Of course. Now quit with the bullshit. You didn't kill Zeke, otherwise you would be covered in his blood."

"Don't lie. Zeke wasn't in the hole, we looked."

"Look deeper. Like Blondie said, I didn't kill him."

---

Standing in the grave, Naruto tried to ignore his fear. Fry, the bitch, had claimed that he should go down, since he was the smallest, aside from the children. She was also the only pilot they had. Double checking that the rope was secured, Naruto took the flashlight and slowly crawled down the tunnel.

Dropping down into the underground cave, Naruto felt his eyes shift so he could see his surroundings better in the dark. As his vision sharpened, he began to wish that he hadn't gone down the tunnel. There wasn't much he could do though since Jack had offered to g down if he didn't, and there was no way that Naruto was about to let her.

Walking slowly to where he smelled blood, Naruto carefully kept the three winged things in his line of sight. Finding Zeke's gnawed off foot, Naruto decided it was time to leave. The things must have realized he was going to leave and tried to get behind him.

No longer able to fight his fear, Naruto bolted for the nearest exit, which was one of the hollowed spires. Even as he was climbing, he could hear them beneath him. Terrified, unlike any fear he had felt for more than a few centuries, Naruto screamed. He pounded on the side of the spire, pleading for help as he felt the rope being tugged on.

He was nearly mindless from fear when the hard dirt gave out beneath his fist, hands grabbing hold of him as the hole was quickly widened and he was pulled through. Naruto was only vaguely aware of Jack telling him that she had heard him first. The others hounded him with questions, demanding to know what he saw, if he found Zeke.

"Zeke's dead. Whatever those things were ate him. Let's get the cells and get the fuck off this planet."

Standing, Naruto gave a terrified scream as he was suddenly jerked back. Gripping the edges of the spire, Naruto tried to pull himself away, screaming for them to cut the rope. When he was finally cut free, Naruto wasted no time in moving away from the spire and grave. Arms wrapped tightly around himself, Naruto tried to stop his shaking. If he had to fight them, he knew he could kill them. But he didn't want to fight them. All he wanted to do was get as far away from them as he could.

---

The only thing stopping Riddick from Killing Johns was his worry and concern for his mate. His little fox was beyond scared, his terrified screams had him yanking at his restraints in an effort to get free, to protect his mate.

Taking his goggles from Johns, Riddick slipped them on and left, intent on finding his mate. The smell of fear was almost overwhelming, and completely wrong. Naruto had been entirely unafraid of him, and yet he was terrified now. It took him a few minutes, but he finally found his blonde fox hidden in a tiny closet like compartment, curled in a tight ball as he shook.

Slipping into the cramped space, Riddick knelt down and wrapped his mate in his arms, burying his nose into soft spikes as he inhaled his mate's scent. Slowly, his little fox stopped shaking in his arms, uncurling from his ball enough to clutch his shirt.

"I was eaten by a giant snake when I was twelve. It was one of the few times I was scared. Those things down there terrify me, more than that snake ever did. There are thousands of them hiding underground in the dark."

"What's wrong little fox? Scared of the dark?"

"No, just of some of the creatures that live in it."

"Including me?"

Naruto snorted. "No. I've fought men that are far scarier and stronger than you and won. It is very unlikely that you will ever do something that will make me scared."

"You calling me weak?" He had meant the remark to be teasing, but found himself staring into scarlet orbs.

"You are among the strongest that this time has to offer. If you want to compare your strength to the strongest in my youth, you will find yourself weaker than the weakest."

"How old are you?" Even before Naruto's latest comment, Riddick had sensed that the blonde's youthful appearance was a lie.

"I stopped counting when I reached four thousand. If I had to guess though, I'm at least eight thousand years old, getting closer to nine."

Staring at the blonde, Riddick felt his anger at Fry spike again. The bitch had made his little fox go down into the dark with things that terrified him. Knowing his fox's real age, those creatures were something to be truly feared. Pulling the blonde closer, Riddick held his fox tightly.

He didn't fear the dark, hadn't at all since he had gotten the shine job on his eyes. Any fear those creatures could have instilled in him vanished as he held his fox. He would protect his mate, his fox, from everything and anything that threatened him. If those creatures even tried to touch his mate, he wouldn't hesitate in slaughtering them.

---

Reluctantly, Naruto pulled himself out of Riddick's hold. The man made him feel safe, even as the planet made him wonder about his sanity. The fear had him so on edge he didn't feel like himself. He could hardly think straight. It was actually starting to piss him off, but there was nothing he could do about it. The sooner they got off the planet, the happier he would be. He absolutely hated being unable to push past his fear, no matter how rare the occasion.

Joining the others, Naruto bit his tongue to keep from saying anything as Fry ordered only for one power cell to be brought. Ignoring the looks he was being given, he rigged a couple ropes so he could carry it on his back, ignoring all offers of help. As far as he was concerned, he was the only one that wouldn't suffer from carrying it.

Reaching the abandoned settlement, Naruto let Fry deal with the ship and power cell. Following Ali, Naruto found his thoughts consumed by Riddick one again. The only good thing about the crash was that he had met the bald man. Shivers of pleasure coursed across his skin as he remembered the large hands and strong chest.

Touching the mark Riddick had left, Naruto was unable to stop the thrill of anticipation he felt. He could hardly wait for Riddick to claim him. It was about time he lost his virginity. Blow jobs and hand jobs didn't make him any less of a virgin, or change the fact that he hadn't had any actual sex with another person, male or female.

Any fantasies he might have entertained were destroyed when Ali entered the Coring Room. It was a tight squeeze, but Naruto managed to get in the same way Ali did. As soon as he was inside, he was scanning the room for danger, moving towards Ali. He had just reached the small boy when two things happened at the same time. Panels began to open to flood the room with light at the same time Naruto saw the sleeping hatchlings.

Covering Ali's mouth, Naruto whispered into his ear softly. "Stay quiet. I want you to do exactly as I tell you. When I tell you to move, you move. Understand?"

Feeling Ali nod, Naruto removed his hand, not once taking his eyes off the hatchlings. Slowly, he began to back away towards a pile of crates he had glimpsed in another room, keeping Ali behind him. Just as the light was about to hit one of the hatchlings, Naruto grabbed Ali and dove into one of the crates, flipping it so they were hidden within it just as the hatchlings screeched.

Curling himself around Ali protectively, Naruto let loose an echoing roar of fear as he heard the crate splinter under the hatchlings' assault. Pain flared as his were torn into moments before he heard a gun shot and even more light flooded into the room, the hatchlings screeching as they whirled away from him and dove down a deep shaft and into the dark.

---

Sipping his water, Riddick carefully kept himself from glaring at Fry. The bitch had agreed with him, subtly trying to get on his good side. Too bad it wouldn't work. She had sent his mate down the tunnel; he wasn't about to help her in this lifetime, or the next.

"Has anyone seen the little ones? Ali and Naruto." Even as Imam asked his question, Riddick caught the sudden spike of fear from his mate.

"Has anyone checked the Coring Room?" Riddick was already moving as he asked this.

Johns was just about to shoot the door open when they heard Naruto's terrified roar. The scent of his mate's fear was also tinged with blood. Throwing the doors open, Riddick dodged out of the way of the hatchlings, moving towards his mate as soon as the hatchlings were gone. His blonde fox was curled protectively around Ali, the splintered remains of a crate around them both. Blood stained his mate's shoulders.

As Imam gathered a terrified and crying Ali into his arms, Riddick was cradling his mate against his chest, not giving a fuck what the others thought. He followed Imam out of the Coring Room, trusting the holy man to watch his mate as he went to study the Coring Room. If he was going to protect his mate, he needed to know more about what he would be fighting.

---

Something he said must have made Fry think of something as she led them to a model, turning it. At twenty-two years, she stopped turning it.

"An eclipse." The words were whispered, tinged with fear as she stared at the model.

"Hope you aren't afraid of the dark." The words were taunting, spoken with a smirk that Riddick didn't even try to hide.

---

Watching Johns walk away, Riddick smirked. If his two biggest problems were to fight each other, he'd be able to focus his attention on his mate, where it belonged. Standing gracefully he easily slipped into the ship just before Fry checked the hull integrity.

Manipulating the bitch was easy, pathetically so. It also brought satisfaction in scaring her. She deserved it, for what she did to his mate. Content at the moment, Riddick silently left the ship, intent on finding his mate and checking on the blonde fox. He didn't have far to look to find him.

Ali and Jack were curled against the blonde, the contact reassuring the two children that the fox was really alright. Seeing the bandages, Riddick bit back a growl. He had to get his mate off of this planet as soon as possible. Seeing his mate comfort the two, Riddick knew that his mate wouldn't leave them behind. It would seem that the holy man, his children, and Jack had gained his protection as well, since they were under his mate's protection.

Judging by the gleam in blue eyes, his little fox knew what he was thinking. Riddick wanted to scowl, but was stopped by the grateful and shy look his mate sent him. He was almost confused by the shyness until he smelled Naruto's nervousness and faint arousal. Arching an eyebrow, Riddick gave a feral grin when his mate looked away with a blush. Interesting.

---

Riding in silence, Riddick pondered what he knew about his mate. His fox was old, thousands of years old. Like himself, his mate was strong, a predator. What he found the most interesting about his little fox was that his mate was a virgin. As hard as it was to believe, Riddick couldn't smell even the slightest trace of another's scent in his mate's. Having sex with another person always left their scent on your own. The stronger the scent, the more often you had sex with that person. It never faded completely.

Watching the light fade, Riddick pushed thoughts of claiming his mate to the back of his mind. He couldn't claim his mate until they escaped the planet. Once they did, he would finish what he had started earlier. First though, he would need to get his mate, the children, and the holy man back to the ship. The others didn't matter.

---

Dragging Jack and Ali into the ship, Naruto felt his heart stop as he saw Riddick dive to the ground. Sheza wasn't so lucky, foolishly thinking she could make it. Holding Ali and Jack close, Naruto was able to keep the two from seeing the woman be torn apart, he screams muffled by his chest and hands.

Terror's icy grip clutched his chest as he watched the creatures swarm the sky with scarlet eyes, Jack and Ali clinging to him tightly. The door was slid shut behind Riddick as full darkness claimed the planet, the last traces of light disappearing completely.

---

In the most secure part of the wreckage, Naruto silently comforted Jack and Ali as the adults argued about what they should do. Johns was all for the idea of staying holed up and waiting the eclipse out, but Imam shot that idea down. The eclipse would probably last for weeks, if not months. They had to get to the ship and off the planet as soon as possible if they wanted to live. Fry finally suggested that Riddick lead them back to the ship as soon as they grabbed the cells.

With a plan to focus on, Naruto fought back his fear with the stubbornness he had been known for in his youth. Feeling more like himself, he stood up straight, blue eyes shifting to red as his whiskers darkened. He was a fighter, not a coward.

"Ali, Jack, stick close to me. Do not leave my side unless I tell you to. Both of you will do exactly as I say when I tell you to do something. You two." Naruto focused his attention on the two teens standing by Imam.

"I want you walking on my heels. All four of you are to stay within arm's reach at all times. There's no way in hell I'm letting those things get a child."

---

Relieved that Naruto was making his job easier, Riddick led the way out.

"I thought you said it was clear."

"I said it looks clear."

"What about now?"

"Looks clear."

A nearly silent snort had Riddick grinning. It seemed that his mate didn't like Johns either. Inside the wreckage, they quickly cut their way through to where they wanted to go. As Fry was cutting, Naruto stood protectively over the four children, clawed hands gripping a pair of blades that had seemingly appeared out of thin air. Riddick didn't really care where the blades came from, relieved that his mate was armed with some kind of weapon.

---

He had nearly been blinded, but they at least learned that the creatures could be hurt by light. That made their chances of getting to the ship alive a bit higher.

Paris' alcohol was raided, even as the wreck was stripped of lights and rigged to a couple power cells on a sled to be dragged. Riddick strapped flashlights across his back, ready to drag the four power cells they needed for the ship.

"I want light on my back, not in my eyes. There's only one pace, mine, so you'd better keep up. Check your cuts, they know our blood. Stick close and don't stop moving."

---

Dragging the sled, Naruto ordered the four kids to stick close to him, easily keeping up with the pace that Riddick had set. He could feel them surrounding them, but the creatures stayed out of their bubble of light. Everything was going fine until Paris tripped and panicked. The fool crawled away from them, dragging the cells off the sled and shorting the lights out.

Before the lights could fade completely, Naruto lit a flare, quickly lighting four bottles of alcohol for the children. Seeing Paris 'breath' fire, Naruto quickly ran through a list of all the fire and lighting Justus that he knew. It would be a last resort, unless he needed to protect one of the children. He didn't trust Johns or Fry to keep his abilities secret.

Keeping the children grouped tightly together between him and Riddick, Naruto knew that they were circling. Riddick was trying to buy time, since Jack and himself were bleeding. The canyon was a death trap, but they couldn't go around. When they crossed over their tracks, Naruto spoke up before Riddick could reveal that Jack was a girl.

"My wounds reopened when Paris jerked the cells. They can smell my blood. Riddick bought enough time for the bleeding to stop, making me less of a target. Riddick, keep going."

Doing as asked, Naruto breathed a silent sigh of relief. Listening to what Johns was saying to Riddick, Naruto felt rage coil in his chest. He didn't protest when Fry told them to drop back.

---

"We're not all going to make it. If you want to be one of eight, I'll keep the others off your back while you take care of the blonde. A pity really, since he looks like such a good fuck."

Dropping the power cells, Riddick tugged his flashlights off and dropped them as well. The only source of light was Johns' green flare. Rage coursed through his veins as he knocked the flare out of Johns' hand. He had already planned on killing the man, now he would torture the bastard for even daring to think about touching his mate.

Slowly they circled each other, Riddick gripping his shiv tightly. He couldn't drag the fight out; he had to make it quick so he could get back to his mate. Johns made the first move, lunging at him. Dodging out of the way, Riddick sliced Johns across his back twice. He dodged Johns' next lunging tackle, using his momentum to send him sprawling face first in the sand. Riddick wasted no time in fading into the shadows, leaving Johns to his fate.

Grabbing the cells and flashlights, Riddick found Fry trying to talk his mate and the others into returning to the ship. The bitch was still trying to claim that she was the captain. Johns didn't get the chance to reveal the truth, and Riddick knew his mate didn't want to say anything, so he kept his silence on the subject.

---

"Stay together and don't stop running."

Fry's protests died on her lips as Naruto led the way, Imam making sure the children stayed grouped together in the middle. Riddick brought up the rear. They were nearly half way through the canyon when it began to rain blood. Fry foolishly looked up, instead of helping to clear the bones out of the way. Riddick was forced to push her out of his way so he could avoid one of the falling creatures.

With Imam's help, Naruto was able to clear the bones out of the way, Riddick dragging the cells through as he took the lead. Bringing up the rear, Naruto gave a cry of pain as his calf was pierced. Slicing at the claw, the creature was forced to let him go, Imam dragging him out of reach. Fry knocked the bottle of alcohol form his hand in her attempt to help.

His leg tightly wrapped, Naruto was limping as fast as he could, but their pace had slowed. Then Fry ordered Jack to fall back and help Naruto catch up. Even as Naruto shouted at Jack to stay with Imam's sons, she had turned back to help him. It was an opportunity that the creatures were waiting for. One dove down, pinning Jack under a large bone.

Two more sources of light were destroyed by Fry. Jack's bottle of alcohol and the flashlight that Fry held when the creature knocked her into the canyon wall. Then Riddick was there, gutting the creature before he broke its neck.

"It did not know who it was fucking with. Stay close and keep up."

Unable to stop his grin, Naruto limped faster, his calf already nearly halfway healed. Naruto was able to see the end of the canyon up ahead when it began to rain. Even as they shielded the flames from the falling water, Naruto knew that they wouldn't make it.

---

"Riddick, are we close? Tell me we're close."

Ignoring Fry's demands, Riddick moved towards a small alcove in the canyon's side.

"In here."

Without hesitation, the children did as they were told, Imam on their heels. Meeting Riddick's silver eyes, Naruto bared his fangs in a grin.

"You better not be long. I'll need your help to protect the little ones."

Riddick's answering smirk was all that he needed. Grabbing Fry, he dragged her into the crowded space, Riddick blocking the entrance with a bone fragment. Settling down on the floor, he pulled Ali and Jack to him, preparing to wait for Riddick's return in peace. It wasn't to be as Fry rounded on him.

"What the hell? He's going to leave us here to die and you just let him go? He's not going to come back for us. He killed Johns, why would he care about us? He's no better than those monsters out there." Taking a deep breath, Fry was about to continue her rant only to be cut off by Naruto.

"Johns was going to kill us so he could get to the ship alive. He wanted to trade our lives for his own and Riddick's freedom. Riddick may be a killer, but he isn't a monster that would willingly kill children to save his own life." Naruto felt a thrill of satisfaction when Fry flinched at his words, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Then why did he leave us here? He can pilot, he had no reason to come back for us."

"He made the right decision. Even with the ship so close, we wouldn't have made it with the rain. We're going to have to fight some of those creatures. Riddick can't fight if he has to drag the power cells, and I can't protect us all with an injured leg. Not without putting myself at risk and potentially leaving the children with almost no protection. If we still had that flashlight, we might have had a chance."

"Let us rest while we wait for Riddick's return. We will need our strength." Unable to argue with Imam's logic, Fry stayed silent, but that didn't stop her from glaring darkly at Naruto.

Slowly, time dragged by, their torches burning down until only one of their four remained. That one burned out as well after twenty minutes had passed since Riddick's departure. Even as the flame flickered out, the light didn't disappear completely. Looking up, Naruto laughed as he saw the glowing bluish white worm like insects. Their chances had just greatly improved. He may not need to use any jutsus either.

---

Sliding the last power cell into place, Riddick checked the small ship for any more flashlights and found only one. Snarling, Riddick grabbed it and left the ship, the lights a glaring beacon in the dark. He was tempted to fly the ship to his mate, but he couldn't risk damaging it. It was the only thing that would get his mate off this thrice-cursed planet, and he wasn't about to damage it.

Ignoring the cold rain and his chilled skin, he ran swiftly towards the canyon, despite the mud and water. He had to get to his mate. Slipping in the mud, Riddick was relieved to see that he was almost back to the canyon, to his mate. Hissing softly when he was suddenly blinded by light, Riddick turned his head to the side so he wasn't looking directly into the new source of light. From the corner of his eye, Riddick could make out Fry's shocked expression.

"Where are the others?" Where was his mate?

"They're dead. Naruto insisted that we go after you once we found these bugs. He thought you were going to leave us."

Riddick felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest when Fry said that his mate was dead. His blood had run cold and he stopped breathing. The anguish he felt in that single moment had the potential of destroying his sanity. When he processed the rest of what Fry said, his anguish was replaced with pure rage. She tried to trick him into abandoning his mate; she had to die.

---

Unease ate at him. Fry said that she would go and tell Riddick that they had found another source of light. It had already been ten minutes since she left, he should have been able to hear the two of them entering the canyon. Coming to a decision, he stood swiftly.

"Riddick should have been back by now with Fry. Something must have happened to them."

"What are we going to do?"

Looking down at Jack, Naruto smile softly, his eyes glinting with determination.

"I am going to get us to that ship safely. But, I need all of you to swear to me that you will not breath a word about what you will witness in the next few minutes. I am trusting you with my life and sanity. Do I have your word?"

"Why are you asking us now? Why not earlier?" Meeting Imam's gaze, Naruto refused to lie.

"I said nothing earlier because I do not trust Fry. She wasn't the one that saved our lives when we crashed. Owens was the one that stopped her from dumping us like she did with the cargo. She would have killed us to save her own life. I wouldn't put it pass her to claim that we are dead. She was willing to kill us once, I'm not about to trust her with my life again."

Staring at Imam, Naruto didn't once look away or flinch. He allowed Imam to judge his sincerity.

"You have saved my son's life once, I trust you to do it again. I swear on my life and those of my sons that neither I or my sons will speak a word of what we are about to witness." Calmly accepting Imam's oath, Naruto turned his attention to Jack.

"I swear I won't say a word, honest."

"I believe you Jack, but I need you to swear on your life and your ability to bear children that you will not breathe a word, not even to me, about what you are about to see."

"You know?"

"I know. That's why I let Johns believe that they were following my blood. He wouldn't have hesitated in killing you. Do you swear?"

"I swear on my life and the lives of any children that I may bear in the future that I will never speak a word of what I will witness."

Giving a sigh of relief, Naruto gave Jack a quick hug, murmuring a soft 'thank you' into her ear before he pulled away. His face was completely serious as he stood straight.

"Do exactly as I tell you and you will make it to the ship alive. Ali and Jack, hold hands and do not let go of each other. Imam, you and your two oldest are to hold the three bottles and keep Ali and Jack between you. No matter what happens, do not separate. All of you are to keep moving no matter what you see. Don't come out until I call you. Understood?"

With his instructions acknowledged, Naruto took a deep calming breath. Pushing the bone aside, Naruto flashed through a chain of seals in almost an instant, spewing flames straight out in front of him. The flames had barely stopped when he created ten clones. They surround the opening, taking turns to blow fire so a continuous stream was kept up.

"Come on. Stay close and don't stop moving."

"They hesitated briefly, but soon Naruto was leading the way out of the canyon, his clones forming a protective circle of fire around them. Feeding his chakra into his clones, Naruto was never so grateful for his massive reserves. If he had to, Naruto knew he would be able to keep up the clones and attacks for several months. He was hoping that he wouldn't need to. He refused to think about Riddick, not wanting to ponder if he was alive or not.

---

Keeping a tight grip on his rage, Riddick led Fry back to the ship. When they could see the ship, he snatched the bottles from her hand.

"Riddick, what are you doing?"

Relishing in her fear, Riddick cut her arm when she tried to snatch the bottle back. As much as he wanted to play with her, he had to rescue his mate.

"You left my mate to die. I'm returning the favor." With a snarl, he kicked her away, satisfaction thrumming through him when he heard her scream of pain and fear. Bitch had it coming.

He was going to make his way back to the canyon when he saw the flames, seconds before he smelled his fox, just barely through the rain.

"Riddick!"

The flames parted, revealing his mate's worried face, as well as ten other clones of his mate. The others were also with him.

---

Seeing Riddick, as well as the ship, Naruto felt relieved. Try as he did, he couldn't stop thinking about Riddick. As they drew closer to the ship, Naruto remembered something the fox had told him. Because of the seal, he was part demon. And like all demons, he had a mate. It was the reason why he was still a virgin, he wanted to save himself for his mate. When he saw Riddick, he couldn't stop himself from calling his mate's name.

Pressing the others to hurry, Naruto flung himself into his mate's arms as soon as they reached him. He didn't even protest when Riddick held him tightly, carrying him the rest of the way to the ship. As soon as they were all safely aboard, Naruto dismissed his clones. He grinned when Riddick reluctantly placed him in the co-pilot's seat.

Watching Riddick turn off the lights, Naruto couldn't stop himself from bouncing in his seat.

"Riddick?" Jack's questioning tone just had Naruto grinning wider.

"We can't leave without saying good night."

That said, Riddick brought the ship to life with a roar of engines, killing several of the monsters that were stupid enough to surround the ship.

---

"We might run into a merc ship. What do we tell them?" Jack asked the question as she climbed into the co-pilot's seat. Naruto had crawled into Riddick's lap as soon as they were in space.

"Tell them, Riddick's dead."

Looking at Imam from over Riddick's shoulder, Naruto couldn't stop himself from smiling when the man snorted.

"Want to know something funny?" Naruto cuddled closer to Riddick, blue eyes dancing.

"What little fox?"

"I bought my ticket on a whim."

Hugging his sons to him, Imam silently thanked Allah. He did not want to think about what could have happened if Naruto hadn't made his whimsical decision. He already knew that he would have lost at least one of his sons, if not all of them. Keeping Naruto's secret would be a small price to pay, one that he was more than willing to pay. Once again, he thanked Allah that he had met the whimsical blonde fox.

* * *

A/N: So, what do you think? I wrote this late one night after having watched Pitch Black for the second time ever. I probably screwed up the order of events and names, but it's my first fanfic. It took me fourteen pages (handwritten/college ruled) and I wrote it in five hours while I was watching various movies, Pitch Black being the first. I'm trying to find the other Riddick movies, since I would like to write some sequels. But, I may do a rewrite of this fic first before I do a sequel. It feels like it should be longer. Hope that you've enjoyed, and it would be so lovely of you to review. And if anyone is inspired to write their own version, or even similar version, please feel free to, just let me know so I can read and review it when you post it. Thanks again for reading.


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